Freight-car-roof bracketing



Nov. 11, 1924.

J. MCMULLEN FREIGHT CAR ROOF BRACKETING Filed Oct. 5. 1921 M MQ @QQ/@M22 Patented Nov. il, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MCMULLEN, F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, .ASSIGNO'R TO` CHICAGO-CLEVELANID CAR ROOFING' COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FREIGHT-CAR-RCOF BRACKETING.

Application inea october' 5, 192i. yserial No. 505,494.

To all 'whom t may concern.' y y Be it known that I, JOHN MOMULLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new 'and useful Improvement in Freight-Car-Roof Bracketing, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to railway car con-y struction and has more particular reference to a ridge pole bracketing for freightcars, and has for its object to provide such a structure as will firmly secure the ridge pole in place at each end ofv the car in such manner that transverse or longitudinal shifting of the ridge pole, due to the stresses and strains of usage, is positively prevented.'

Ihe average freight or box car during its period of usefulness is subjected to considerable shocks and strains, both when being shifted and coupled in the yards and when in transit in a loaded condition. The natural result of suchpcontinuous wear and tear is the tendency of the car to loosen or disintegrate at points where its several parts are connected, and particularly among these faults isthe tendency of the ridge pole to loosen as a result of wear and shift out of alinement or otherwise relative to the end structure, and it is the purpose of the present invention to overcome these dithculties by firmly maintaining the ridge pole in place despite the shocks and strains to which it is subjected.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ridge pole bracketing having the combined qualities of simplicity in construction, economy in manufacture and strength in use and which aords convenient access to the builder in assembling or dismantling the car. n

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which is compact and adapted to be interchangeable with respect to its attachment to the ridge pole at either end of the car.

With such objects in view as well as other advantages which may be incident to the use of the improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations thereofA hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the elements constituting the same may be varied in proportions iange 2 of the Z-bar 1. The

which, for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.

In said drawings Figure l is a central vertical longitudinal section of a portion of the end of a box car comprising the preferred embodiment of the invention. V

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same with the end fascia removed.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. l showing a slight modification in assembly.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the ridge pole bracket.

Referring to the drawings l indicates an end'plate of the Z-bar type having upper and lower oppositely extending horizontal flanges 2 and 3 and vertical side anges 4 adaptedl to be secured to the side plates 16, one at each side of the car. The top liange 2 preferably declines from the ridge pole towards its eaves ends which are wider than the central portion. pole 5 is supported by and bolted or otherwise securely fastened at each end of the car to the top flange 2 of Z-bar end plate 1, and the bolts 6 are preferably countersunk as at 7 in the ridge pole and pass through a ridge pole bracket 8, a portion of which is U-shaped as clearly shown in Fig. l to embrace or enclose the inwardly extending ridge pole 5 is preferably cut out as'at l5 toprovide a seating for the bracket 8, which latter has an upturned flange. 9 fitting in a rabbeted or cut out portion at the end of the ridge Vpole and having the end face of such upkturned iiange in alinement vwith the vertical fla-nge l4 of the Z-bar. The fla-nge 9 holds the ridge pole from endwise movement. The ridge pole bracket is further provided with apertures 14 through the Ul-shaped portion thereof through which the bolts 6 are adapted to pass. An end fascia l0 is bolted or otherwise secured to the end of the car rIhe end ofthe ridge and extends downwardly overlapping the junction between the Z-bar and the ridge pole bracket.

As seen in F ig. 2 the bracket 8 is substantially the width of' the ridge pole and is of such shape as to provide secure fastening means whereby the ridge pole is firmly fastened to the end plate andy longitudinal or otherwise shifting of the ridge pole is prevented. .lt will be understood that the construction above described is the same at each end of the car.

The Z-bar l is further secured by bolts l1 to a cross bar or transverse frame element l2 of any suitable construction, extending transversely of the car and to which the end sheathing l2 may be attached. The ridge pole 5 is oppositely beveled on its upper surface to conform to the' linclination of the top sheathing 13, and said sheathing is fastened thereto.

Although in the preferred embodiment of my invention itis advisable to have the upper flange of the U-shaped portion of the ridge pole bracket 8 countersunk in the cut out portion l5 of the ridge pole, the bracket S and connecting parts may be arranged as illustrated in Fig. 3. ln said figure the upper face of the horizontal inwardly extending U-shaped portion is not countersunk in the ridge pole but lies flush with the lower surface thereof, the ridge pole being cut out at its end as above described to provide a recessed seat for the upturned flange 9 of the bracket.

It will 'be apparent that by the described construction l obtain a secure and rigidr fastening of the ridge pole at each end of the car, vsuch fastening means comprising few elements and designed to be easilj accessible when it is desired to assemble or dismantle the car.

What I claim isl. A ridge pole bracketing for railway cars comprising in combination: an end plate, a ridge pole supported by said end plate, a bracket interposed between .said ridge pole and said end plate, said bracket engaging the bottom and the end of the ridge pole and means for securing saidridge pole to said bracket and said end plate.

2. Anridge pole bracketing for railway cars comprising in combination: an end plate, a ridge pole supported by said end plate, a bracket interposed between said ridge pole and said end plate, said bracket having an upwardly extending flange .in alinement with and engagingvt-lie end of said ridge pole, and means for securing said ridge pole to said bracket and said end plate.

3. A ridge pole bracketing for railway cars comprising in combination: an end plate, having upper and lower oppositely extending flanges, a ridge pole supported at its end by said upper flange of said end plate, a ridge pole bracket interposed between said ridge pole and said end plate and having a Ushaped portion enclosing said' upper flange of said end plate, and bolts passing through said ridge pole and said Yld-shaped portion of said bracket and said upper flange of said end plate and securing same together to prevent longitudinal and transverse shifting of said ridge pole.

el. A ridge pole bracketing for railway cars comprising in combination: an end vplate having upper and lower oppositely vextending flanges, a ridge pole supported at its end by said upper flange of said end plate and secured thereto7 a ridge pole bracket interposed between said ridge pole and said end plate, said bracket having a U- shaped portion enclosing the upper flange of said end plate and a vertical ange extending upwardly and in alinement with said end plate, means for securing said ridge pole to said bracket and the upper flange of said end plate, and lan end fascia extending downwardly and having its inner surface flush with said end plate, said ridgel pole and said vertical flange of said bracket.

5. A ridge pole bracketing for railway cars comprising in combination :i an end plate provided with upper and lower opposit'ely extending horizontal flanges, a ridge pole supported at its end by the upper horizontal flange of said end plate, a ridge pole bracket interposed between said, ridge pole and said horizontal flange of said end plate and having a U-shaped portion countersunk in said ridge pole and enclosing said upper horizontal flange of said end plate, means for securing said ridge pole to said bracket and said end plate, an upwardly extending flange on said bracket and countersunk in said ridge pole and an end fascia disposed against said ridge pole, said vertical flange of said bracket and said end plate. Y

6. An ,end structure for railway cars comprising in combination: a transverse support, an end plate secured to .said transverse support and provided with oppositely extending upper i and lower horizontal flanges, 'a ridge pole bracketing having a U-shaped portion enclosing said upper horizontally extending flange of said end plate and having a vertical flange, a ridge pole yresting at its end on said U-shaped portion of said bracket and having its end flush with the outer surface of said vertical flange of said bracket, and a bolt passing through and securing said ridge pole and said U-shaped portion of said bracket to said upper horizontally extending flange of said end plate whereby longitudinal and transverse shifting of said r'dge pole relative to said end plate and said bracket is prevented.

7. An end structure for railway ears coinprising in combination: an end plate having an inwardly extending top iiange declining from the ridge pole to the side plates and having its eaves ends widened and Shaped to fit the side plates, and having an outwardly extending bottom flange, a cross bar secured on the inner side of said end plate and adapted to be attached at its ends to the side plates, a bracket enclosing the top flange of said end plate and having an upwardly extending part, and a ridge pole in line with said upwardly eX- tendng part and secured to said bracket.

In testimony whereof I have Set my hand to the foregoing specification.

JOHN MOMULLEN. 

